Games
[Event "Cleveland County v Durham County Bd3"] [Site "?"] [Date "1973.11.17"] [Round "?"] [White "Donnelly, M.J"] [Black "Simpson, J."] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Donnelly,MJ"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1r1q1rk1/3b1pb1/p2ppnp1/n1pP3p/2P1P3/2N3PP/PBQN1PBK/R4R2 w - - 0 17"] [PlyCount "38"] [EventDate "1973.??.??"] [SourceVersionDate "2008.05.10"] {[#]} 17. f4 $6 {A risky idea which intended to sacrifice several pawns to generate a seemingly dangerous attack against the Black king.} exd5 18. cxd5 h4 {Softening up the White kings-side hence forcing the pawn advance g4 after which White was aware that a Black combination was possible.} 19. g4 (19. Rab1 {was worst as the White king is far too exposed following.} hxg3+ 20. Kxg3 Nh5+) 19... Bxg4 20. Rae1 {This was White's idea, completing development and gaining time for e5, since the bishop must now retreat as e3 has been guarded.} ({Accepting the sacrifice with} 20. hxg4 {loses to} Nxg4+ 21. Kh1 Ne3 {when a possible line is} 22. Qc1 h3 23. Bxh3 Nxf1 24. Bxf1 Qh4+ 25. Kg2 Rxb2 26. Qxb2 Bd4 $19) 20... Bd7 21. e5 $6 {Instead Ba1, placing the bishop on a more secure square and eliminating Rxb2 ideas, whilst still retaining the bishop's action on the long diagonal was a steadier way to proceed.} Bf5 22. Nde4 dxe5 $6 {This gives White chances so stronger was} (22... Nh5 {deflating the threat to f6 and aiming to reinforce the pin on e4 with the tempo gaining Ng3.}) 23. fxe5 $2 {This loses as the resource available to Black on move 28 was not appreciated at this point in the game.. An unclear position results from} (23. Nxf6+ Qxf6 24. Ne4 Qe7 25. Kh1 {and by removing the king from potential threats on the b8-h2 diagonal White has some compensation for the two pawns deficit in the passed d5 pawn and the offside knight on a5.}) 23... Nxd5 $2 {Grabbing the second pawn is also a mistake as it allows White a chance to stay in the game. Again} (23... Nh5 {is most forceful leading to a winning game, even though material is approximatley balanced, due to White's weakness on the black squares after} 24. Nd1 {else just Bxe5+} Rxb2 25. Qxb2 Nc4 26. Qc1 Bxe5+ 27. Kg1 Bd4+) 24. Nxd5 Qxd5 25. Rxf5 Qxa2 ({Of course} 25... gxf5 {loses the queen to} 26. Nf6+) 26. Nf6+ $2 {Still missing the fact that Black can place his king in an apparently dangerous position and allow a discoverd check.} ({Instead} 26. Rf2 {leads to a murky position with surpisingly about equal chances after} Qxb2 27. Qxb2 Rxb2 28. Nf6+ ({Not} 28. Rxb2 Bxe5+) 28... Bxf6 29. Rxb2 Bxe5+ 30. Rxe5 Nc4 31. Rbe2 Nxe5 32. Rxe5) 26... Bxf6 27. Rxf6 Rxb2 {Only so. If} (27... Qxb2 28. Rxg6+ Kh7 {in contrast to the next note this move allows White to retain attacking chances via} ({Poor is} 28... fxg6 29. Qxg6+ {and White has more than perpetual check despite being a rook and pawn down after} Kh8 30. Qh6+ Kg8 31. Kh1 {and White wins due to the possibilities of Bd5, Re4 or Be4.}) 29. Qxb2 Rxb2 30. Rg4 Nc6 31. Rxh4+ Kg7 32. Rg4+ Kh6 33. Re3) 28. Qe4 ({If as originally intended} 28. Rxg6+ {then} Kh7 $1 {wins as the base of the discovered check, ie the queen, is attacked and White has no good rook check available which would lead to mate, or no good double check available to mate or regain sacrificed material.}) 28... Kg7 {Good play solidifying Black's defences. If Black tries to rush through the passed pawn with} (28... c4 {then White can force a draw with} 29. Rxg6+ ({or even better generate a strong attack with} 29. e6)) 29. Rxa6 {recovering one pawn and pinning the Na5 but more importantly White is hamstrung due to the pin on the Bg2.} Rfb8 30. Kh1 {So that taking on g2 is not check. Instead} (30. e6 {doens't work at all as after} Rxg2+ 31. Qxg2 {Black pins the queen with} Rb2) 30... R8b4 {Black finishes strongly despite both players being in very severe time trouble and emphasises the extra material by forcing an exchange of rooks. Once again if} (30... c4 31. e6 {is promising for White.}) 31. Qa8 Rb1 32. Rxb1 Rxb1+ 33. Kh2 Qf2 34. Rxg6+ {Each player had about one minute left on the clock and had been moving instantaeously for the last few moves. However, the rook sacrifice did not prolong the game enough and fails miserably to achieve perpetual check whilst Black has a forced mate in hand.} (34. Rxa5 {wins material but Black has} Qg3# {as well as Qg1 mate and Qf4 mate.}) 34... fxg6 35. Qa7+ Kh6 {Now there are no more checks hence White resigned. A curious point observed during the game and discussed after the game is that if there was no e5 pawn then White can force stalemate after} (35... Kg8 {by} 36. Qg7+) 0-1